The bout involved Akebono and Takanonami's stablemate Takatoriki. The gyoji gave the decision to Akebono, but he had clearly stepped out or fallen down (don't remember) before Takatoriki. Clearly looking after a stablemate and also helping Takanohana to get the yusho probably.
I remember the commentators discussing on Sumo Digest and I have been some decades since a rikishi had called a mono-ii.
The rikishi can call a mono-ii, but not discuss, that is the domain of the shimpan only.
http://www.banzuke.com/99-4/msg00857.html
It was Day 8 May Basho 1996.
Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda at yahoo.com> wrote:
--- Jezz wrote:
> It was done within living memory (mine at least), by
> Takanonami
> sitting dohyo-side, when he raised his hand for a
> mono-ii for a bout
> involving his heya-mate Takatoriki. If I recall
> correctly, that
> is.... It must have happened towards the end of the
> 1990s.
Actually this is my recollection as well. I remember
seeing it clearly on the replay that Takanonami indeed
raised his hand. But I no longer certain what his
commment was afterwards on the bout.
Perhaps all he did was to indicate that one of the
rikishis has stepped out like a dohyo judge often does
and one of the other dohyo judges asked for a mono-ii.
If Takanonami did ask for it, he may not have been the
only one.
Regardless he was sitting right in front of where the
action took place and probably the closest. I don't
believe the dohyo judge sitting next to him called for
a mono-ii though.
One of the reasons, they need to have rikishis sitting
there is that they could call for a mono-ii if they
see it needed though not participate in the
discussion. They are not just sitting there to wait
for their turn as even in the last bout you will
notice rikishis are always present at each dohyo side.
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